Assessment day!

Friday came around and it was the day for our practical and theory assessment at the end of the five weeks. For some reason, I was feeling super nervous but also at the same time, confident that we would all pass because we have been living and breathing yoga every day for the last five weeks. I suppose the nervousness came from the fact that we didn’t only want to pass but we wanted to score 100%. Aren’t we always too harsh on ourselves?

Held the longest chaturanga, bakasana (more on that later), shoulder stand, headstand of my life. The asanas assessment was taxing on the physical body, with the added stress because we’d be graded too. The theory portion was manageable and except for a glaring mistake that a few of us would never make now ever (also related to bakasana), everything else was correct.

Needless to say, all of us passed with flying colours and got handed our certificates branding us as the newly minted The Yoga Mandala certified 200h Hatha Vinyasa yoga teachers!

Rounding back to the story of bakasana aka crow, this asana has been my nemesis for the longest time. In my own personal practice, I could never get into it even though it was considered a basic or beginner arm inversion. One day in the this week, we were just self practicing and Jessica gave me a few alignment cues and viola – I got into a bakasana!!! AND I could actually hold it there, it was no split second fluke hold. I was so happy and a little bit smug. However, bakasana isn’t a pose I could get into anytime I want. It is still a continual learning journey for me for arm balances especially since my right wrist has been acting up. I do need to relearn my alignments for my right wrist/shoulder/placement of my palms so that I can build up further strength and be more consistent in arm inversions.

Oh and, remember when in bakasana, it is an extension of the elbows! The motion is pushing away from the mat! Remember that, because that is the mistake I’d made in theory!!! 😕😜

I truly believe that taking up this YTT (and at The Yoga Mandala) is one of the best life choices I have made and a life time investment. This YTT journey has more than fulfilled what I wanted out of it and enabled me to go deeper into my personal practice and equipped me with the knowledge that I know if in the future, an opportunity to teach arise, I’ll be able to do so.

With that, I have so much gratitude to my teachers and my course mates; you guys have showed so much love, patience, laughter and wisdom with me. I’m forever grateful.